Where the Sea Ends
by ENTRIKIT
Summary: And he is grateful that there’s one last round of begging, even though the little Al Bhed girl with a heart on her sleeve is no match for the will that towers over Gagazet. Oneshot; Yuna gets the Final Aeon and the Final Summoning is used.


**Author's Note: **"He" is Tidus, "she" is Yuna. Very, very sad, I warn you. Heavy Tidus x Yuna, slight Lulu x Wakka.

**where the sea ends**

**

* * *

**

Yunalesca has given them an ultimatum, and he doesn't want to think about it, doesn't want to be here anymore, doesn't want to_ be _anymore because he knows now that he can't win, he knows she'll die.

She is trembling under her skin where no one can see, where no one can tell that she's crying and screaming and absolutely terrified because she lied, she takes it all back, she doesn't want to die and she doesn't want to bring anyone else with her and Sin can keep on killing by the thousands as long as she doesn't have to die - but duty calls.

* * *

They all are standing and looking at each other, short on words and short on time. Lulu steps forward, then Wakka, then Kimahri, and he watches them all. He won't do it. He might, in a thousand more years, if he knows there's no other way. But he's stubborn and desperate and doesn't want to die when he doesn't think it's worth it.

Maybe he'll regret not stepping forward, because then he won't get picked and he'll have to live without her if - if she - if the summoning works. And he doesn't think he could do that. But the choice is between dying now, within the hour even, or watching the Final Aeon kill her.

He decides that it's best this way, because he won't be the one to end her life.

* * *

He loses his breath when Rikku steps forward, too; he knows now that his cause is lost. As many protests as he shouts and as many times he tries, he can't convince them that she won't die. He wonders if it's actually possible anymore.

But Rikku knows, Rikku knows! And he is grateful that there's one last round of begging, even though the little Al Bhed girl with a heart on her sleeve is no match for the will that towers over Gagazet.

When the cousin's screaming has died down, he opens his eyes again; a crumpled form is heaving on the ground, crying so hard he thinks at first that it's seizing. But he realizes it's Rikku and the screams have dulled to a silent, overwhelming fit of tears.

The Yevonite hesitates, then walks forward and bends to stroke the heathen's hair. Rikku becomes still and Wakka looks awkward and Yuna is half-smiling and he feels his soul beginning to splinter apart.

* * *

The unsent stands off to the side, watchful; towering behind him is Kimahri. The Ronso looks statuesque, but then steps forward and nods. He too is offering himself for the sacrifice. She takes a deep breath and scans them all, every moment of the journey here winding through her head.

She chooses the mage.

Yunalesca appears as if sensing the decision is made; the three women head to the Chamber of the Fayth, one dead, two soon to be.

Lulu only pauses for a moment; she locks eyes with Auron and Wakka, nods to Kimahri and Rikku; then she glances in his direction, smiles, and turns before the tears can fall. She wants to die with composure.

He swears to the gods that he's breaking as he watches the doors shut.

* * *

Yunalesca and her namesake don't emerge for hours. Wakka is on the floor with Rikku now, though the latter is the one doing the comforting. Auron is brooding in the corner and Kimahri has his eyes locked on the door Lulu passed through to die.

He could be sleeping but he's not. He's watching all of them, wondering what they could be thinking, wondering why no one challenged Yunalesca. It's like everyone lost the will to fight as soon as they entered, but he supposes he can't blame them. They never really believed him anyway when he said there had to be another way. Rikku, too, looks like she's accepted it now; a stony expression hides any trace of uncertainty.

_"It's the only way to defeat Sin - the only way."_

_

* * *

_

Outside, night falls. But in the Chamber of the Fayth she is kneeling and praying with all her heart, praying and begging and bargaining with whatever gods haven't betrayed her yet that she can defeat Sin. Lulu is beside her, eyes closed and concentrating, Yunalesca breathing instructions into her ear.

Soon, she realizes that she can't feel anyone next to her anymore. She was warned about this; she squares her jaw and keeps praying, keeps focused, while Yunalesca is shaping Lulu, creating an aeon strong enough to shatter Sin.

The stone floor gets hot, flaming hot; it sears her knees and she continues to pray, eyes squeezed shut and lips forming the words Yunalesca instructed her to pray. She can't imagine what pain Lulu could be going through, must be going through; after all, she's being turned into another creature, a force of the heavens, a force of destruction. A murder weapon.

She almost can't stand the heat anymore when an icy chill washes over her like a blizzard, blizzara, blizzaga, and there is a burst of light she can see through her eyelids. Yunalesca's breath is on her neck telling her to open her eyes. She obeys.

Lulu's fayth is like a Medusa, the long black braids splayed in random patterns under the clear stone; one braid turns and curls into ribbon. Lulu's back is turned and her visible hand grasps the ribbon-braid. More ribbons burst from it, silvery-purple, curling in delicate patterns. The mage is clad in ribbon as well, electric violet swirls across a bare back.

Yunalesca senses the summoner's mixed emotions, but laughs when she complains Lulu's face isn't visible.

_Is that all you care about, mortal? You shall see her face again, just before you defeat Sin. _

She can hear the unspoken words echoing through her mind: _just before you die._

She sets again to praying.

* * *

It's been nearly a full day when she emerges.

He is sleeping, finally, along with the others. But Wakka is awake, and so is Rikku; they are the ones to greet Yuna with a grim, metallic taste in their mouths. Wakka's eyes are rimmed red for he barely slept and can't believe that Lu's gone, damn it, and Chappu died to keep her alive and Yuna's just standing there with Lu's power inside her and this just can't be real.

Yunalesca eyes them with a flinty stare before directing them to be quick; YuYevon can sense that a Final Aeon has been made, and he will be waiting at the Calm Lands.

Rikku glares back, wakes up the remaining guardians, and leads the way.

He brings up the rear, groggy, but more aware than ever before. Isn't it a miracle how the summoner breathes? She's alive and breathing and healthy, and she's beautiful and caring and determined and so damn stubborn that he can't stand it.

They walk on.

* * *

Sin is waiting for them, just like Yunalesca promised. He cringes at the thought of his father, huge and menacing, waiting patiently to die and let Lulu take his place.

Every person so far who became a Final Aeon has been a physical attacker, and he wonders briefly if the next Sin will be able to use magic.

She is physically shaking now, tripping over her skirt and dropping her staff. She does not want to die but Lulu can't have died in vain and the world depends on her and she's made it this far, she knew this would happen. So why is she so scared? Maybe, she thinks, because she's got something to live for now.

Her eyes are on him when she steps into battle.

* * *

The fight will be quick, he can tell. They've weakened Sin together as a group; but now, injured and panting, they leave the field clear for her to work her magic.

She uses the most force she can for a Grand Summon, and Lulu is born.

It is a great elemental, human-like in form but much more. Sparks of fire and lightning flare from each hand, water and ice melting and crystallizing at the aeon's feet, ribbon twisting through the air. A voice is heard and it's Lulu, calling for the death of Sin, calling for her power to be released. The summoner closes her eyes and revels in the act of breathing before setting the aeon upon Sin.

It's a fearsome thing to behold. Sin's hide is rent in two and out spirals YuYevon, black and spider-like, twirling as it enters the aeon.

He's on his feet and running, sword held high, screaming, but the aeon is too quick for him.

She falls like silk, like the ribbons adorning her murderer, and he's only fast enough to catch her on the way down. She's dying; she's dying, damn it, and there's nothing he can do and she's crying and bleeding and clutching his shirt and he's crying too; and he says he loves her, he loves her so much and he's sorry she couldn't see his Zanarkand and she starts to choke on the blood and he can't do anything and then - and then she's dead.

YuYevon, merged with Lulu's aeon, flies off into the distance to craft a new Sin.

She's dead.

He closes her eyes and pushes hair out of her face, still damp with her own tears as his continue to fall; he kisses her cheek and holds her close.

She's dead.

* * *

The stadium is packed and he's not nervous at all. He can't say he feels anything as he leads the other guardians - ex-guardians - through the gate. He looks to the crowd and holds up a gloved hand until they notice him; they fall silent and wait. He breathes and looks straight ahead. The speech will be short, but he hopes they're satisfied.

He clears his throat and begins.

"Everyone… everyone here knows what Sin is like. You've all heard the stories of what Sin's done to Spira, and what it's taken to clean up the mess left behind.

"But for the next ten years, you won't have to be afraid. Yuna killed him. Sin is gone."

There is a pause while he allows for the inevitable cheering as the crowd realizes that the Calm is here. But he doesn't allow them to celebrate for long; he holds his hand up again and the cheers fall to murmurs.

"I want you all to know that - that I'm not from around here. I'm from the Zanarkand that never sleeps, and before I got here, I never knew that Sin existed. But I found out what happens when Sin is around, and I became a guardian to help defeat Sin.

"I didn't know that summoners were sacrificed. I never knew about the Final Summoning until about halfway through the pilgrimage; but if you knew Yuna, you knew she wouldn't give up. I couldn't change her mind. She said she lived for the people of Spira and I believe it. She died to bring you peace, and I - I just want you to remember her sacrifice. So please -" And here he stammers for a bit, trying not to cry, _crybaby go ahead and cry, you always cry, see? you're crying,_ but Kimahri's hand is on his shoulder and he continues. "Please, don't forget the price we pay for a Calm.

"Tonight, celebrate. Have parades. Dance. Laugh. Sing, if you want to. But remember Yuna and remember what she gave for your safety. Remember the towns that were destroyed. Remember all of the people and friends we've lost, and never forget them. Live for them."

He steps off the platform and turns to see that everyone is crying.

* * *

It is weeks later; at least, he thinks so. He stopped counting, but his soul knows how long Yuna has been gone. His body is seventeen; he is a youth, but he is old.

He sits on the pier at Besaid. Blitzball practice is going on behind him. Wakka resumed his place as captain as something to do, something to keep himself occupied. Auron was sent by Isaaru. Kimahri returned to Gagazet; Rikku is rebuilding Home in Bikanel but writes daily.

The ocean looks like it goes on forever, miles and miles of crystal blue, but no matter how the healers tell him that water has restorative properties, the whole ocean can't heal him. He's scarred from battle and everything he's seen; he's scarred by his failure.

She's dead.

He stands slowly and gazes toward the place where the sea ends, the place where she is and the place where he needs to be.

She's dead.

He raises his fingers to his lips and lets out a long, low whistle, as loud as he can make it, but no one comes running. Practice stops and the whole team turns to look at his back, but he can't see them and doesn't care anyway; he's focused on a place far away, another time, another world.

She's dead.

He whistles again to the open sea, but she isn't there.

He cries.


End file.
